Tiger Woods started the day bogey-bogey but the vintage Woods showed up at Royal Liverpool where he's already won a British Open.

After the slow start, Woods was -5 on his remaining holes and finished -3 (69) for the day.

The back 9 included birdies on No. 11, 12 and 13, 15 and 16. The birdie on the 11th, that started the charge echoed the old Woods as he rolled in a putt from slightly off the green.

He did give a shot back on No. 14 when his poor tee shot left him with a tough approach and then a long par putt.

But in Tiger-like fashion he grabbed the stroke back with a spectacular tee shot on the par 3, 15th and a confident 8-foot putt into the back of the hole.

He almost chipped in for eagle on No. 16 before tapping in for birdie.

He parred No. 17 and 18 but even those had drama. His tee shot hit a course worker in the head before settling off the fairway. And on No. 18 he backed off his approach twice as cameras continued to click.

"I felt very calm" Woods said about approaching the first hole of his first major of the year. "Unfortunately, I got off to a horrific start. But I fought back."

Even more positive, the three-time British Open champion has shown no ill effects from the March 31 back surgery that has limited his play this year.

"The back is good," Woods said after the round. "I'm only going to get stronger and faster."

Woods, who won the Open at Royal Liverpool in 2006, shot a 36 (+1) on the front nine and had to scramble a bit to do it.

Woods got off No. 1 well when he hit iron and landed on the fairway.

However, he dumped the ball into the bunker on his second shot and then saw it roll off the back of the green when he blasted out.

He ended up bogeying the hole. And then bogeyed No. 2. It was only the third time in his career that he started a major tournament with two bogeys.

Woods won the British Open at Royal Liverpool in 2006, the last time it was played at the course.

Woods settled down with a tap in par on the third hole and also parred No. 4.

The three-time British Open winner took a stroke back on the par 5, fifth rolling in a 12-footer for birdie. Then he parred No. 6, a par 3 and No. 7, a par 4. On No. 8, he just rimmed out on a 25-foot birdie putt.

The front nine ended with a par 3 and Woods hit a nice tee shot that left him with a 12-foot birdie putt.

The putt came up inches short and he made the turn at +1 shooting a 36.

Tiger Woods waits to play his second shot on the 12th hole during the first round of the British Open Championship at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club. Woods shot 69 in the first round.
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Tiger Woods watches his tee shot on the third hole during the first round of the British Open Championship at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club. Woods won the tournament in 2006 the last time it was at Hoylake.
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Tiger Woods walks off the third tee during the first round of The 143rd Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. Woods won the Open in 2006 the last time it was played at Royal Liverpool.
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Tiger Woods waits on the 1st tee during his first round on the opening day of the 2014 British Open Golf Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Course. Woods started his round bogey-bogey-par.
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HOYLAKE, ENGLAND - JULY 17: Tiger Woods of the United States lines up on the 1st green during the first round of The 143rd Open Championship at Royal Liverpool on July 17, 2014 in Hoylake, England. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 497278067 ORIG FILE ID: 452264480
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Tiger Woods tees off on the 1st hole during the first round of The 143rd Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. Woods won the tournament in 2006 the last time it was played on this course.
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India's Anirban Lahiri watches his shot from the 1st tee during his first round on the opening day of the 2014 British Open Golf Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Course.
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Justin Leonard of the US looks at his putt on the 3rd green during the first day of the British Open Golf championship at the Royal Liverpool golf club, Hoylake, England, Thursday July 17, 2014. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) ORG XMIT: HOY116
Alastair Grant AP

Edoardo Molinari of Italy reacts after missing a birdie putt on the sixth green during the first round of the British Open Championship at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake.
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